"Magic River" is a beautiful 5-bedroom house located on the even more beautiful Wintergreen Mountain. From the house, you are less than a five-minute drive away from the ski slopes, the golf courses and tennis courts, the spa, the restaurants, and all the other amenities that make up this vacation resort.

As you look out the large windows in the family room, you see no neighbors at all: only the woods. And running through the woods, just behind the house, is the "Magic River"--actually a small, bubbly mountain stream. From the original two upstairs bedrooms, it is the first thing you hear in the morning, rushing over small waterfalls outside your window. Our kids have spent hours building a dam in springtime, or skipping stones across the water. They have walked across the ice-covered water in the winter. And all of us can sit on the deck and watch the stream, and the woods, any time of year.

Walk up the driveway and just past the first two houses on the right, and you will see a small sign indicating the entrance to the Old Appalachian Trail. This is one of our favorite parts of every vacation: hiking along the trail, sometimes seeing how far we can go, sometimes bringing a picnic, but usually stopping at various points along the stream to explore the woods.

When you come inside the house to relax, you'll ind a spacious, remodeled kitchen with plenty of counter space and a full refrigerator; two master bedrooms and three smaller bedrooms that can comfortably sleep 12 people, plus a couch in the living room that rolls out to a bed if you have a few extra; a complete entertainment center with surround sound and dozens of DVDs to choose from; a foosball table; a large soaking tub and a large shower made for two, with a state-of-the-art "tankless" hot water system that ensures that you will never run out of hot water; and all the other amenities.

WINTERGREEN IN THE WINTER

Although it doesn't look this way when you look out the back door, the house is right in the middle of the Wintergreen Mountain resort, less than five minutes from the headquarters of the ski slopes. Wintergreen is, first and foremost, a skiing/snowboarding resort. It boasts:

* Two high-speed six-passenger chairlifts

* A wide variety of terrain, ranging from gentle "green" slopes to adventurous "double black diamonds"

* An automated snowmaking system and state-of-the-art grooming fleet

Experts will appreciate both the long steep slopes and the terrain park. Some of the varieties of rails that you might find on any given day are rainbows, straight rails, battle ships, down-kinks, s-rails and fun boxes. As for snow features, they might have tabletops, spines, or hips. They re-shape the park to have something new each time you come to ski or ride.

Beginners will appreciate the free group lessons offered to any guest who rents Wintergreen equipment.

In addition to skiing, you'll find two tubing parks. "The Plunge" is a 900 foot, 10-lane mega-snowtubing hill with typical speeds of 25-40 mph with a vertical drop of 100 feet. "The Slide" is a gentler ride for kids.

WINTERGREEN YEAR ROUND

As you've probably guessed, our primary reason for going to Wintergreen is to hike through the woods, enjoy the breathtaking beauty of the mountains, and then relax in luxury back at the house. But there's a lot more to Wintergreen than that.

Golf: The "Devil's Knob Golf Course" is rated as one of the state's top courses, boasting a 50-mile view of Shenandoah and Rockfish valleys. And the 27-hole, par-72 "Stoney Creek Golf Course" was created by Rees Jones, designer for seven US Opens and six PGA Championships

Tennis: For the fourth consecutive year, Tennis Resorts Online has ranked Wintergreen as one of the top 10 tennis resorts and one of the top 10 tennis academies in the country. In addition, Tennis magazine has ranked Wintergreen among the nation's top 50 tennis programs for the past 17 years. Located in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Wintergreen offers 19 clay courts and 3 indoor deco-turf courts.

Wintergarden Spa: A fitness center with a 12-station strength and conditioning circuit and free weights. Cardiovascular equipment including five treadmills, four stationary bicycles and two stair steppers and two body peak trainers. Yoga studio. Indoor and outdoor swimming pools. Whirlpool, hot tubs, steam rooms and sauna. Massages, body wraps, skin care treatments, and nail care.

Horseback Riding: Guided trail rides, pony rides, riding lessons, or private rides through the spectacular Rockfish Valley or the scenic Stoney Creek trails.

Dining: The Copper Mine Restaurant and Lounge ("An American Steak House"), the Devil's Grill Restaurant and Lounge (clubhouse on the golf course), The Edge Restaurant (casual dining right at the top of the slopes), Stoney Creek Bar and Grill (overlooks the golf course), and many more options.

And that's all up on the mountain, where nothing is more than a 10-minute drive from the house. If you venture down the mountain, you're only a 20-40 minute drive from Charlottesville and Staunton, three minutes from the Blue Ridge Parkway, and a quick hop to Thomas Jefferson's Monticello (where they have tours for both adults and kids).